Cub Scouting is Fun, especially when it is fun in the outdoors with family and friends. Cub Scouting’s outdoor fun is needed by youth and families now more than ever.  To build that fun, we’ve got tips about successful and sustainable recruiting of families into your Packs and Dens.  Recruiting Step Number One is to develop your Calendar of Fun Activities – a program filled with activities that Scouts and parents want to attend, have a great time, and pick up the character-building that lasts a lifetime.

IT IS NOT TOO EARLY TO PLAN YOUR PROGRAM YEAR FOR 2025 - 2026!  We’ve got ideas about how to build your Pack Program of activities at scoutingatl.org/cubcalendarplanning and in the YouTube about Building Your Best Year in Cub Scouting (a resource page for that video program is found here) – and more in this portal page to hundreds of Fun, Simple, Easy activities for Cub Scouts. Planning can happen in groups large and small, in front yards and on local park trails, at the swimming pool or the bar b que grill – so invite your families to gather, do things, have fun and share ideas for your best year ever.

See this YouTube Video for Ideas and Resources about How to Plan Your Best Year Ever in Cub Scouting – the program description (and segment links for if you want just a few minutes on a single part of the program) are below:

Action | Practical Planning | Help 4 Leaders  This Video has Ideas and Resources about How to Plan Your Best Year Ever in Cub Scouting. Key Segments after the Introduction (2 minutes):

• Importance of a Strong Activities Calendar – Step One of the Steps to Successful Recruiting (2 minutes) 2:17
• Goals Here: (1) Build Your Best (local) Plan (2) KISMIF and (3) Fun for Kids and Families (and Safe) equals Stronger Families Through Scouting (3 minutes) 4:17
• Scouting Is Outing – Two Examples of a Year Long Activity Calendar (7.5 minutes) 6:55
• Do Activities With Troops Too! (1 minute) 14:35
• When Should You Schedule Your Blue + Gold Banquet? (1.5 minutes) 15:30
• Outdoor Ideas, Local Places to Go, and Unique Overnight Activity Destinations (4 minutes) 16:42
• Any Fun Activity Can Be a Welcoming Joining Event (1 minute) 20:35
• A Safety Moment and S:A:F:E: Checklist (3.5 moments) 21:62
• Planning Methods – Surveys and Sharing Intro (1 minute) 25:30
• Critical Analysis of Your Plan: Is It Too Hard? Does it “Spark Joy”? (4 minutes) 26:20
• Pack Planning Process – Leaders and all Parents! (2+ minutes) 29:53
• Key Dates to Identify to Focus Planning (2+ minutes) 32:15
• Survey Options (2 minutes) 34:45
• Parent and Leader (“PAL”) Planning Conference (2 minutes) 36:32
• Pack “Activities” and Pack “Meetings” (Apply the FunMeter) (2 minutes) 37:50
• Den Meetings: How Often? When? Where? What Works For Your Families? (3.5 minutes) 39:58
• Now, Who Will Lead These Dens? Or How To Turn Parents Into Leaders! (2 minutes) 43:38
• Advancement Help for Den Leaders and Parents (2.5 minutes) (UPDATE: links to 126 Adventure Resource Pages and simpler and easier “Assembled” Den Meeting Plans are found at scoutingatl:org/CubScoutAdvance) 45.43
• A Plethora of Fun*Simple*Easy Activities Dens and Packs Might Do and Recruiting Families (1.5 minutes) 47:43
• Budget Introduction (1 minute) 49:15
• National Registration Fees and Your Budget (2.75 minutes) Note: refers to 2024 fees which likely will change, and more on Renewals is now posted at scoutingatl.org/charter-renewal 49:43
• Other Expenses a Pack Might Build into a Budget for Pack Local Program Fees (or “dues”) (1 minute) 52:58
• Revenue Options, including Fundraisers – and Balancing the Budget to Set Your Local Fees or Dues (2.5 minutes) 53:42
• Journey To Excellence Scoring 2024 (2+ minutes) (NOTE: JTE was discontinued at the end of 2024) 55:02
• Conclusion and Questions (2 minutes) 57:28

Resources for All of the Above are here.

See the Atlanta Area Council Popcorn page for information and to register for this fundraiser.

From our Month by Month Activity Ideas page ...  

May: End of Year Party or Event? 

• Maybe a Day Hike or Bike Ride or Bike Rodeo? You can do any of those, and even use those to invite new members to join your unit -- like Kindergarten Families -- and Pre-K Families for next year's Lion Dens! If it's fun for kids, fun for families, and safe, put on some great activities you can use to invite new kids to join and that would be fun for your current kids too. 
• Cub Scout Summer Camp at Bert Adams Scout Camp is a super good time - go as a Pack, go as a Den, go as a parent/child family team.  Details for May 29-31 are here.
• Maybe a Fishing Day? Maybe at Sweetwater Creek State Park (there is an annual Family Fun Day in May sponsored by State Rep. Roger Bruce -- see www.rogerbruce.net/ and https://www.rogerbruce.net/about). 
• The Keeping GA WILD event also usually appears in late May, this year May 17, 2025 at Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center in Mansfield, GA.  "Kids can try archery, fishing, shooting sports, tree climbing and mini-boat rides led by Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ conservation rangers. Live animal presentations, face painting, solar viewing with the Charlie Elliott Astronomy club ... "
• Atlanta Streets Alive is back.  See www.atlantastreetsalive.org  May 18 Grant Park to West End!
• Perhaps participate in the World Wide Jamboree on the Trail?
• Scout Day at the Braves May 25 with a parade around the field!
• Or go somewhere on the Great Big List of Places to Go and Things to Do ... many destinations will work with Scouts if you call ahead. 

June/July: Summer Camps, Day/Twilight Camps and Other Options -- Get Outdoors!     

• There are Day and/or Twilight Camps in the Atlanta Area during the first week of June.  See this Day Camp Page for the options.  Also see the Flint River Council's Calendar, because they have Day Camps adjacent to the Southern Crescent District during the first three weeks of June.
• Atlanta Streets Alive is back.  See www.atlantastreetsalive.org  June 22 on Peachtree Street!
• Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville has Scout Events.  Maybe a Night at the Museum.
• Tellus Science Museum in Cartersville has Scout Programs year round.
• Do one or more Den or Pack or Troop activities, like these Fun, Simple and Easy Activities that you can do in your neighborhoods at a time that works for you. Find some you like!
• How about a Fourth of July Parade.  Your Own Picnics, Fishing Days, etc.  See the top of our Home Page for links to the Cities in the District. Those Cities linked at the top of our Home Page have great events, like fun days at rec center, movie nights, etc.  There are more . . . ask your families or Scouts.  If it's fun for families and safe, it can be a Cub Scout Event!
• Or go somewhere on the Great Big List of Places to Go and Things to Do ... find something your families like.

Highlights of the most recent District News were these (click links for information):  Service Ideas: Service Projects and Simple Ways to Help ... and from the week before: Help for Den Leaders -- "Assembled" Den Meeting Plans ... Opt In, Opt Out ... Email webmaster@southfultonscouting.com if you need a reminder about the login.

A Scout is Helpful. The fuller explanation of this point of the Scout Law is: "Volunteer to help others without expecting a reward".  To help Packs, Dens, Troops, Crews, Scouts and their families, we can share ideas about ways to help.  Our service project page is a compendium of ideas about what Scouts can do, from large "service projects" that can be organized by Scouts and/or Units, to existing service opportunities that you can join in, as well as small ways that a Scout can help others (for younger Scouts, with help from the family).  More here.